Leeuwin Estate Art Series in frame with Simone Furlong

When, in 1969, Denis Horgan bought a West Australian cattle farm, he was as drawn by the chance of regular surfing off the nearby coastline as he was by its terroir. But when Californian winemaking giant Robert Mondavi came sniffing around the region in 1972, he advised Horgan that the land had huge potential for viticulture. The Horgans followed his advice, replacing cows with vines, and producing their first vintage of Leeuwin Estate in 1979.

Within three commercial vintages, the winery was on the world stage. Leeuwin’s 1981 Art Series Chardonnay was ranked top in a blind tasting of global Chardonnay by Decanter magazine, catapulting both the estate and the then little-known Margaret River region to international recognition. No Australian wine had done anything quite like it before, and very few have matched it since.

The centerpiece of the Leeuwin story is Block 20 – a single, unirrigated parcel of Chardonnay planted in 1976 on gently sloping, gravelly, free-draining soils. Dry cool air from the Southern Ocean funnels up, preserving the natural acidity and aromatic precision that defines the Art Series Chardonnay.

The mastery of Leeuwin, however, is not confined to one variety or style, and the Art Series label signals the best of the estate. We round out this masterclass with a benchmark expression of Cabernet and a modern expression of Australian Shiraz, a wine that confounds preconceptions about Australian Shiraz at every turn.

Now in its third generation, the estate is today led by the second generation, Justin Horgan and Simone Horgan-Furlong. We’re thrilled to welcome Simone to host a tasting of eight wines, focusing on the Art Series range and including four vintages of the renowned Chardonnay in what should be a fantastic event.

The wines we will taste:

2024 Leeuwin Estate, Prelude Chardonnay, Margaret River
2023 Leeuwin Estate, Art Series Chardonnay, Margaret River
2020 Leeuwin Estate, Art Series Chardonnay, Margaret River
2018 Leeuwin Estate, Art Series Chardonnay, Margaret River
2013 Leeuwin Estate, Art Series Chardonnay, Margaret River

2018 Leeuwin Estate, Art Series Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River
2022 Leeuwin Estate, Art Series Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River
2024 Leeuwin Estate, Art Series Shiraz, Margaret River

Wednesday 2nd September
White Horse Hotel
381 Crown Street, Surry Hiils, Sydney 2010
18:00 — Welcome drink and canapés on arrival
18:30 — Masterclass and tasting begins
20:00 — Masterclass ends
20:30 — Event ends

Member Tickets $225 per person
Non-Member Tickets $275 per person

Menu items are subject to change; we will notify you should there be any replacements.

General Notes
67 Pall Mall Melbourne reserves the right to amend the Terms and Conditions without prior notice. Ticket holders are advised to check the event page for the latest updates. Cancellations made within four days of the event are unfortunately not eligible for a refund. In the event the cancelled ticket can be reallocated/ reissued to waitlisted Member, a refund may be issued at the Club’s discretion.

• The Club reserves the right to postpone or cancel an event due to insufficient attendance, forces of nature, accidents or emergencies. In such cases, we will either refund the full cost of the course, or arrange an alternative date.
• If any substitutions become necessary, we will ensure the value and quality of the replacements are equivalent.
• All Members and guests are required to maintain an appropriate standard of dress. As a rule of thumb, smart casual dress code applies, unless otherwise specified by the event.
• The legal drinking age is 18 years old in accordance with the NSW law.

Other Notes

• On the rare occasions when the speakers become unavailable, we will endeavour to reschedule the event. However, if there is less than 72 hours notice, we will in most cases proceed as planned.
• Please note that masterclass tastings do not include a meal.